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Committee advances bill banning AI from being advertised as a licensed mental-health professional
Summary
SB 1580 would prohibit advertising or representing an AI system as a qualified mental-health professional; sponsors said the bill targets deceptive consumer claims and not legitimate clinical uses of AI as an assistive tool. The committee voted unanimously to send the bill to calendar.
Senate Bill 1580, offered by Senator Wally and backed by the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations, would make it unlawful to advertise or represent an artificial intelligence system as a qualified mental-health professional and make violations actionable under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act.
"This bill just provides that a person who develops or deploys an AI system from advertising or representing to the public that that system is or is able to act as a qualified mental health professional," the sponsor told the committee, adding that the intent is to prevent a chatbot or other AI from being portrayed as a human therapist. Sponsor and supporters said the bill would leave room for clinicians to use AI as an assistive tool so long as advertisements and communications make clear the nature of the technology.
Members asked whether the language would unduly restrict development of AI tools. The sponsor and supporters answered that the statute targets deceptive representation and advertising, not the creation or clinical use of AI, and that the bill could be refined before floor consideration to tighten language on development vs. deployment. After discussion, the committee voted unanimously to send SB 1580 to the calendar.
The clerk recorded nine 'aye' votes in committee; no 'no' votes were recorded in the transcript.
